Department of Commerce March 3, 2006 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

NMFS is providing this notice in order to allow Federal and state agencies and the public an opportunity to review and provide comments on two reports, prepared for NMFS by an independent consulting firm, regarding the use of treated wood products in aquatic environments. The intent of the reports is to ensure NMFS is informed of relevant studies and recommendations when making decisions related to the use of treated wood in aquatic environments. This information may be used for future development or revision of NMFS treated wood-use guidelines. NMFS is soliciting public comment on whether the treated wood documents sufficiently summarize the existing body of knowledge concerning copper and creosote treated wood products, including the fate and transport of leached materials, the appropriate use of treated wood products, and the potential effects on living marine resources and their habitats. In addition to this public comment opportunity, the reports will also be subject to independent peer review.

NMFS issues this final rule to amend the geographic coordinates that define the longline fishing prohibited area in waters of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) around Guam. This action is necessary to correct an error in one of the published coordinates. The intended effect of this action is to accurately implement the Guam longline closed area.

NMFS announces 2006 and 2007 final harvest specifications and prohibited species catch (PSC) allowances for the groundfish fishery of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands management area (BSAI). This action is necessary to establish harvest limits for groundfish during the 2006 and 2007 fishing years and to accomplish the goals and objectives of the Fishery Management Plan for Groundfish of the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands Management Area (FMP). The intended effect of this action is to conserve and manage the groundfish resources in the BSAI in accordance with the Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act).

NMFS proposes a temporary emergency rule under the Magnuson- Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act (Magnuson-Stevens Act) to implement measures intended to immediately reduce the fishing mortality rate (F) on specific groundfish species to prevent overfishing and maintain the rebuilding program of the Northeast (NE) Multispecies Fishery Management Plan (FMP). This emergency action includes differential days-at-sea (DAS) counting, reduced trip limits for specific species, and recreational possession restrictions, among other provisions. In addition, this action would continue two programs that would otherwise expire by the end of the 2005 fishing year on April 30, 2006: The DAS Leasing Program and a modified Regular B DAS Program on Georges Bank (GB). Due to the impact of these proposed measures on the monkfish fishery, this temporary emergency action would also limit participation of monkfish Category C, D, or F permits in the proposed Regular B DAS Program and revise the method of calculating available monkfish-only DAS for Category C, D, F, G, or H monkfish vessels. This action is intended to prevent overfishing while maintaining specific programs designed to help mitigate the economic and social impacts of effort reductions under the FMP until more permanent management measures can be implemented through Framework Adjustment (FW) 42 to the FMP.